Package binding machine



Oct. 21, 1952 J. J. CHEESMAN 2,614,487

PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 29, 1946 a Sheefzs-Sheet 1 ,l rwrerzzor JOHN IAMES CHEEsMnn Arroruufys Och 1952 J. J. CHEESMAN PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1946 Jorm JAMes CHEESMAN M0 PM Arroawns Oct. 21, 1952 J. J. CHEESMAN PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 29, 1946 fiwmfar Jomv JAMES CHEESMHN X r ATTORNEYS Oct. 21, 1952 J. J. CHEESMAN 2,614,487

PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 29, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 7? van '07 JOHN JAMES CHEESM My Min ATTOKNE rs 1952 J. J. CHEESMAN PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE 8 Sheeis-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 29, 1946 mm M Q l M was Efy R n w wm r .J A J C mm Oct. 21, 1952 J CHEESMAN 2,614,487

PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE Filed 001;. 29, 1946 8 Sheets$heet '7 Joan JAMES CHE 55mm:

INVENTOR.

BY I AT ORNIYS Oct. 21, 1952 J. J. CHEESMAN PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 29, 1946 Jon N JRME5 HEE5MAN INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 21, 1952 PACKAGE BINDING MACHINE John James Cheesman, Gerrards Cross, England, assignor, by mesne assignments, to General Strapping Corporation, New York, Y., a corporation of New York Application October 29, 1946, Serial No. 706,445 In Great Britain November 26, 1945 This invention relates to package binding and is more especially concerned with improved mechanism for gripping flexible strip or band (hereinafter termed strip), for tensioning such strip as may be necessary after training it around a package or other article, and for severing it and also with the connection of the strip, more particularly by welding where the strip is of metal. A primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic strip connecting mechanism adapted to be used in association with an automatic strip training mechanism to give a fully automatic package binding machine.

To this end, a further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism wherein the parts for operating on the strip are arranged and actuated in such a way as not to interfere with the effective training of the strip around the article in what may be termed the plane of binding.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a generally new or improved gripping and tensioning means for the strip.

Another important object is to enable the strip after training (whether automatically or by hand), to be connected entirely automatically whereby the cycle of operations including tensioning and cutting of the strip, where necessary,

can be completed in the shortest possible time.

A yet further object of the invention is to enable electric welding equipment to be used for connecting the strip, in a safe and reliable manner.

From one aspect, the present invention provides means for tensioning the strip, on what may be termed the near side of the connecting device (as distinct from the far side from which the strip approaches after passing around the article), such tensioning means being adapted to operate on the free end of the strip (which is hereinafter called the first band), one and the same gripper being preferably used both for tensioning and for holding the first band during training of the strip around the article. A gripper thus located does not require to be withdrawn from the binding plane in order to allow the strip to pass during the training operation, but maybe so withdrawn as hereinafter set forth for disengagement from the first band and engagement with that which has been passed around the article (which is hereinafter called the. second band). An associated feature of the invention is the provision of auxiliary means, also on the near side 01 the connecting device,

for maintaining the tension produced by the ten v 1'1 Claims. (Cl.100 27) sioning means. .An auxiliary gripper for this purpose enables the gripper used for tensioning to be released from the strip before connection of the latter takes place and if, as preferred, this auxiliar gripper is arranged between the tensioning gripper and the connecting device, it may be used tofacilitate releasing the-tensioning gripper from its tight hold of the strip. For this purpose, a short movement away from the auxiliary gripper and opposite to its tensioning stroke, may be imparted to the tensioning gripper after the auxiliary gripper has engaged the strip. It is also thus made possible for the tensioning gripper to be disengaged from the first band "and then engaged with thesecond band without regard tothe operation of the cutter and of the connecting device, it being understood however that such engagement of. the second band takes place on the near side. of the connecting device before the said band is severed, and that severing preferably precedes making the connection. A considerable amount of time is thus saved during each cycle of operation. Tensioning of the first band towards the connecting device has the further advantage that, ow-

ing to its being in a direction away from the operator-and towards the box stop or guide on the far side of the table top, the article is urged towards the said stop and thereby. held firm. Suchtensioning has the yet further advantage that it enables the severed end of the first band to be fed into the connecting device from the near side -(so that itdoes not have to be passed across from a gripper on one side to a gripper on the other, between successive cycles of operation) the tensioning gripper being available for carrying out the final part of this feeding operation whilst also simultaneously performing the tensioning. To permit of the required movementsof the tensioning grippertowards the connecting device, the said gripper should be moved sufliciently away from the latter after disengagement from the first band before picking up the second. From the foregoing, itwill be seen that during connection, the preferably overlapped will hereinafter be shown more fully.

From another aspect, the present @invention 3 provides automatic tensioning means for the strip, driven by direct thrust, as for instance a cam thrusting directly in the required line of movement. The gripper of the tensioning means may thus be positively driven in both directions, one way to tension and oppositely to release it from the strip as already described, for both of which purposes, maximum possible thrust is required as well as accuracy of control. Resilient means is preferably provided to cushion the tensioning stroke and to permit variation of the latter within the limits of difference in the amount of tensioning required which are likely to be encountered in working the machine. The short releasing stroke of the tensioning gripper is sulficient to cover these limts and means is preferably provided at the end of the said stroke to open the gripper positively and thereafter to hold it open. When released, the gripper returns to a fixed station which may conveniently be that The return movement to the said station may be utilized to complete the opening of the tensioning gripper, it being desirable to operate the latter as fully as possible by the direct driving means. The latter may also be used then to move the said gripper outwardly from the connecting means to pick up the second band. Supplementary operating means, which may be driven transversely, can be used in conjunction with the direct means, firstly, to co-operate therewith in positively opening the gripper and secondly, in withdrawing the gripper transversely from the. strip for disengagement from the first band and afterwards in moving it up forv engagement with the second band.

From a further aspect, the present invention provides means for training the strip around the article in a binding plane and means for gripping and tensioning the strip on the near side of a connecting device which is movable into and out of the said plane as required. A strip positioning device may be projected into the said plane in the path of the strip so that after training of the latter, the second band is left extended ready for engagement by the tensioning means and to form a loop for subsequent release onto the article in the following training operation. The means for training the strip around the article is provided with a stroking device for the strip, so that when the latter is cut, the severed end of the first band is left uncurled ready for projection by the tensioning means into the connecting device. On the far side of the connecting device only a simple gripper is required, which when opened to release a completed band, remains open to permit the strip to pass for the next band, being then closed onto it before tensioning from the near side of the connecting device commences.

From yet another aspect the present invention provides an automatically operated welding device for joining the ends of strip when overlapped and havin one or more electrodes movable in appropriate sequence both forwardly and rearwardly into and out of the plane of binding and also upwardly and downwardly into and out of welding engagement with the strip. Auxiliary means is also desirable to supply welding current only when the electrodes are fully in operative position and for the time required to produce the weld.

The foregoing, as well as still further features of the invention, will next be described as embodied in the fully automatic machine shown in the accompanying drawings whereof Figure 1 shows the machine in general front elevation;

Figure 2 is a general side elevation viewed from the right hand side of Figure l Figur 3 is a general plan view of the mechanism beneath the table top;

Figure i is a plan view to a larger scale of those parts of the mechanism with which the invention is more particularly concerned;

Figure 5 is a front elevation corresponding to Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detail transverse elevational view of the tension gripper drawn to the same scale as Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 7 comprises a series of diagrams illustrating the relative positions of the box cam and tension gripper block at various stages A to H of the operation of the gripper;

Figure 8 is a detail side elevation of the strip positioning member and its actuating mechanism, a portion of the table being shown in broken lines;

Figure 9 is a similar View of the far side gripper and its actuating mechanism;

Figure 10 is a similar view of the auxiliary near side gripper and its actuating mechanism;

Figure 11 is a similar view of the cutter and its actuating mechanism;

Figure 12 is a similar view of the connecting device and its actuating mechanism; and

Figure 13 is a detail plan view of the cross bar and strip guides together with the adjacent portion of a roller conveyor for removing the bound articles from the machine, a portion of the strip being shown in broken lines.

The article-supporting table or platform I is arranged within and behind a training device for th strip comprising a ring 2 carrying rollers 3 each arranged between pairs of lateral containing plates 4. Strip S is fed onto the resulting mobile seating of the ring under a sheave 5 and inside the gapped containing band 6 which is anchored at its one end, towards which the ring is rotatable (in the direction of the arrow) by shackle 1 through which the strip is adapted to pass and held resiliently at its opposite end by means of weight -8 which maintains enough tension on band 6 to keep the strip S properly coiled. As ring 2 is rotated unidirectionally around the article, strip is accumulated thereon during successive rotations up to the limit permitted by feeler 9 of a stop switch which is adapted to cut out the main driving motor of the machine. Simultaneously with the said accumulation, strip is adapted to be withdrawn from the interior of the coil onto th article over the tensioning rollers l0 and a stroking device I l (the purpose of which will appear later), it being possible to continue such withdrawal after supply of strip to the ring has been discontinued. On the far side of the-table there is provided a lateral guide plate 12 against which the article is supported during binding. It will be appreciated that th mechanism so far described is adapted to train strip in a binding plane, the position of which is indicated in Figures 2 and 3 substantially in accordance with my prior United States Patent No. 2,367,168, issued January 9, 1945, whilst fuller details of the feeler device 9 are set forth in the specification of my co-pending United States application Serial No. 604,882, filed July 13, 1945.

Along the forward edge of table I and in the binding plane are disposed the gripping, tensioning, connecting and outing means with which the present invention is more particularly concerned. The devices in question comprise tensioning gripper I3, a strip positioning member I4, holding grippers I5 and I6 and cutter I'I, all being on the near side of the connecting means I8 except the gripper I5. Vertical guides I9 may be used in conjunction with associated guides behind a crossbar l0 detachably secured against the front of the table to form pairs of guides between which the strip is located and by which it is kept from lateral displacement from the binding plane (see Fig. 13). This crossbar may conveniently form the end of a roller conveyor 73 for assisting removal of the bound articles out from the front of the machine. As all the binding operations including feeding of the strip onto the ring take place in one plane, there is no need for this front conveyor to be specially arranged or modified in any way to avoid interfering with the strip.

The main driving motor rotates constantly whilst the machine is in use and is preferably electric, under control of a push-button switch and the aforementioned feeler-operated switch. It is drivably connected through belt 20a and pulley 20b to gear box 2I and is used in the first place to turn ring 2 when clutch 2 2 isengaged by a manual operation e. g. depressing foot pedal 23 whereby the ring is turned through one revolution, on completion of which cam 24 on the ring is adapted to engage feeler 25 and thereby through suitable bell crank and rod linkage shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 to trip a second clutch 26 automatically, whereby a drive is set up from gear box 2I to the cam shaft 27 which thereupon commences to rotate through one complete revolution. Clutch 22 is' preferably of friction type to give a smooth action, this being possible because it is not of vital consequence for the ring to stop at exactly the same place each revolution, for reasons that will appear hereinafter. However 26 should be of a dog or similar positive type of clutch because it is essential for the rotation of shaft 21 to be precisely controlled.

The first operation performed by the rotation of shaft 21 is to open clutch 22 by means of cam 28, connecting mechanism for this purpose being well known, whereupon ring 2 very soon comes to rest from frictional causes. In order to ensure that the second band after being passed around the article shall be left extended horizontally on the near side of the connecting device I8, ready for engagement by the tensioning gripper I3 independently of the exact final position of the take-off devices I0, .II of the ring, the positioning member I4 is projected into the binding plane above the strip. This member is adapted to be withdrawn at the commencement of ring rotation out of the path of the first band (which the second band of the preceding cycle of operations has then become) so that the strip is freed to move against the near side of the article as the ring continues to rotate. The positioning member I4 should be dis-posed between the tensioning gripper (outside its range of travel) and the take-off devices of the ring, and as it can remain projected except when required to release the strip at the very commencement of ring rotation, it may well be mechanically coupled to the start- 6 ing pedal 23 so as to be momentarily drawn back when the latter is depressed. This coupling mechanism is illustrated in Figure 8 and comprises link 23a which is connected to a spring biased finger 23b which has a yielding nose 230 that overlaps a pivoted finger 2311 which is con-, nected by a link 23c with a spring biased bell crank 23f that is also connected to the inner end of member I4; the effect of the parts being such that the action of the latter spring normally holds the member I4 in projected position while depression of pedal 23 moves said member to withdrawn position. Nose 23c yields in a downward direction only so that depression of pedal 23 will pull finger 23b downwardly and correspondingly move finger 23d until nose 23c passes finger 23d, while nose 230 will yield downwardly topermit finger 23d to be thereafter returned to its original position by the spring biased bell crank 23 Use of the member I4 has the further advantage that it releases a loose loop'of strip so that lifting of the article by the tension of the strip from the ring during the upward travel of the take-off devices thereof is avoided.

Considering next the construction and operation of the tensioning gripper I3, We have the main gripper block .29 mounted on longitudinally movable shaft 30 which is parallel with the binding plane. The mounting of the block on the shaft is non-rigid by reason of the stout spiral compression spring 3I provided around the shaft and acting between a near-side stop 32 thereon and the block, so that the latter is normally held against a second stop 33 also on shaft 30. The ends of the shaft are provided with rollers 30a and 3012, which run respectively on two complementary cams 34a and 34b both of which are rotated from the main shaft 21 through parallel cross shafts 35a and 35b at right angles both to the strip and to shaft 30 which is thus positively driven by direct thrust in both directions, for the purposes already mentioned. A certain amount of relative displacement of the gripper block 29 along shaft 30 is possible against spring 3I to cushion the tensioning stroke as also already mentioned. Block 29 is further supported by being slidable on an auxiliary fixed shaft 36 the ends of which are mounted in members constituting parts of the machine frame as shown in Fig. 5.

The gripper block 29 carries a slide 31 movable at right angles to the strip and formed with an upper jaw part 38. In addition, the slide carries a plunger 39 which is rotatable therein about an axis which is in line with the direction in which the slide is displaceable. Plunger 39 carries at its forward end, a lower jaw part 40 which is urged upwardly against jaw part 38 under the influence of torsion spring M, the two jaws together constituting the gripper, whilst at its rear end-the plunger is provided with a head 42 carrying a radial contact pin 43. When the plunger is moved fully forward, jaw 40 is adapted to spring shut automatically (1. e. when engaging the second band), whereupon it also becomes locked against withdrawal through part 40a of the jaw moving in front of block 29. Jaw 40 is adapted to be opened positively by appropriately swinging the contact pin 43 and is held open by becoming engaged with the block as shown in Figure 5 when the slide is moved back (also by means of the contact pin) which withdrawal becomes possible as soon as the jaw has been turned fully open. The contact pin is designed to cooperate with a control box 44 movable transversely of the strip S and positively in both directions by supplementary operating means consisting of the complementary cams 45a, 452) on shaft 2'! and unitary bifurcated lever 48, 46 pivoted on a shaft 4'1. Pin 43 rides along walls 48, 49 and 58 of the control box whereby it is both turned and moved backwardly and forwardly as required. The pin projects down into the box, the front wall 48 being used to withdraw the plunger and jaw when fully opened and the rear wall 50 to move them up into the forward closed position of the gripper, these two walls running parallel with the strip and being long enough to cover the whole travel of the gripper block. Rotation of the plunger to open jaw 40 preparatory to withdrawal of the gripper, is effected by the inclined wall 43 at the connecting-device end of the control box. This inclined end wall is directed backwardly from the front wall 48 at an acute angle to the rear wall 50 and, during the riding of the contact pin along its top edge under the combined influence of the backward movement of the control box and the return movement of the gripper block 29 from the position at which jaw 40 is released by engaging with the block as aforesaid, to its fixed station, the pin is swung over and the jaw is thereby fully opened ready for withdrawal of the gripper by further backward movement of the box acting on the pin.

Following complete withdrawal of the gripper and during the final part of the outward movement of the gripper block 29 to its extreme position away from the connecting device, the control box may be brought forward, with lost motion, ready to thrust with its rear wall on the contact pin to move the gripper fully forward, whereupon the jaw 40 is able to snap closed onto the second band, before the latter is severed. The contact pin simultaneously swings back to its normal position which it is free to do under the influence of spring 4 I. Thereafter the gripper block can be moved towards the connecting device to start feeding the free end of the band as a final step in the cycle of operations so that the said free end only requires to be moved a comparatively short distance further into the connecting device during tensioning at the commencement of the next cycle. During the short releasing movement of the gripper block following its tensioning stroke, the control box can start going back with lost motion before the inclined end wall of the box engages the contact pin to hold the jaw open following its release from the strip.

The more significant relative positions of control box 44, plunger 39 and pin 43 are shown in Figure 7 A to H wherein X-X represents the normal center line of the box and Ya to h the transverse center lines of the plunger in these various positions. The angular positions of the pin about the axis Y are also shown in 43a to 72..

Turning now to consider the connecting device l8 (see Figs. and 12) we have a pair of similar and generally horizontal welding arms 51a, 51b arranged transversely of the strip and each carrying an electrode 52a, 5212 at its forward end, which electrodes are adapted to press upwardly against the overlapped bands, backed by an insulated plate 53 beneath the front edge of the table I in the plane of binding. Both the vertical and horizontal reciprocation of these arms is eifected from the main shaft parallel with the strip viz. cam shaft 21. The horizontal movement is caused by connecting the arms pivotally at 54- to a lever on a rock shaft 55 extending parallel with and beneath shaft 21, this rock shaft being controlled through a lever 56 engaging a cam 51 on shaft 21. Between pivots 54 and the forward ends of the arms, cradles 58a, 58b are provided on which the arms rest, which cradles are adapted to be raised and lowered through vertical push rods 59a, 59b by a lever 60 pivoted at Bfla acting through block 61 and operated by link and follower 60b which are suitably held in operative relationship with cam 62 fixed on a rotating shaft 63 parallel with, beneath and driven from shaft 2'! through chain 54. The upward thrust on the arms is cushioned by means of the substantial compression springs 65a, 65b around the telescopic push rods 59a, 591). Although the welding arms are thus designed to be operated simultaneously in all respects, yet it is desirable to provide individual upward thrusting mechanism for each as just described, so that they are independently sprung. At the end of a cycle of operation, the arms should of course be left withdrawn back from the binding plane so as to permit passage of the strip in the next cycle. As soon as the arms are fully forward, the upward thrusting mechanism starts building up pressure on them ready for closing of the welding circuit.

Welding arms 5m, 512) should be of metal which is a good conductor and one of them must not only be adequately insulated from the other but should also be insulated from the parts of the machine to which it is operatively connected, in particular at its pivot 54 and lifting cradle 58a or 58b. Current may be supplied to the arms in any suitable way as, for instance, through a transformer and flexible conductors, which it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate. The electrodes take the form of upwardly directed welding tips 52a, 52b at the forward extremities of the respective arms, both adapted to co-act with plate 53 which is also a good conductor and insulated in any appropriate manner from the table top. Accordingly, the circuit is through one arm, the overlapped strips, plate 53, the overlapped strips, the other arm and the grounded mechanism of the machine.

The far side gripper 15 (see particularly Fig. 9) consists of a swinging jaw attached to the underside of table I, which is positively operated downwardly to open it by means of a cam 61 on shaft 21 acting through a suitable connecting rod [5a which is attached to a pivoted roller lever 15b. The upward closing movement is by means of a compression spring 15c which is connected to the upper end of lever I51) and compressed by clip ifid fixed to a suitable part of the machine, since the strip tension reaches this gripper only after passing around the article, so that more powerful clamping is not necessary.

The auxiliary gripper !6 (see particularly Fig. 10) on the near side for holding the tension during connection of the bands may be like and similarly operated to gripper 15 by connecting rod l6a, pivoted roller lever I61) and compression spring I60, however, as it is subject to greater strain (consequent on its having to resist the direct pull of the releasing movement of the tensioning gripper), it has associated with it, two operating cams 68a, 68b on shaft 27, the second to follow up the compression spring, I60, so that the pressure exerted by the latter through thrust roller bar 680 slidable in bearing 68d and acting upon pivoted lever 68c that is attached to rod I 6a is maintained or increased as the gripper closes.

'The cutter I! (see particularly Fig. 11) is also pivotally mounted on the underside of table I being arranged on the connecting device side of gripper I6 with one side of which it is adapted V to co-act in cutting the second band. A cam 69 on shaft 21 is used to thrust on the cutter through aconnecting rod Ila with spring return IIb that is in operative connection with cam 69 through pivoted roller lever Ho.

The cross bar and guide construction described in column 5 hereinabove is illustrated v in Figure 13 wherein the cross bar is denoted by I and has its ends secured to the front of the machine by screw bolts II, H. It is formed so as to guide one side of the strip which is shown in broken lines and carries guides I2, I2, for the other side of the strip S. A portion of the roller conveyor for removing bound packages from the machine is denoted generally by I3 and may be of any Well known and approved form which calls for no detailed description.

A preferred cycle of operations performed by a single rotation of the cam shaft 21 will next be described timed with reference to degrees of rotation thereof:

0.The shaft 21 commences to rotate follow- 4 ing tripping of its control clutch 26 by the ring shut and the second band held thereby.

36.The tension gripper block 29 begins its tensioning stroke towards the connecting device. It will be remembered that this gripper is already in engagement with the first band from the previous cycle. The tensioning stroke also serves to complete the feeding of the projecting end of the said band across the welding tips 52a, 52b.

93.-The tensioning stroke is completed with more or less compression of the tension gripper block cushioning spring 3|. Figure 7B shows both the position of the plunger and pin Yb, 43b when tensioning does not resultxin spring compression i. e. when the block is able to reach its fixed station, and also their position Yb, 43b in a typical case where a certain amount of such compression take place. The auxiliary near side gripper I6 commences to shut.

115.-Gripper I6 is now closed on the first band and its spring pressure fully built up. Also the welding arms Ia, 5Ib commence to move forward.

119.-The tension gripper block 29 commences its short releasing stroke away from the connecting device I8 and from gripper I6 by which the strip is firmly held. If spring 3I has been compressed, stop 33 will of course have to travel a certain distance idly before coming in contact with the block.

123.The tension gripper control box 44 commences its backward movement accompanied by lost motion with respect to the contact pin 43.

131.-The inclined end wall 49 of the control box catches up with the said contact pin, so that the jaw 40 becomes held slightly open. (See Figure 7C.)

132.The tension gripper block completes its releasing stroke.

145.-(see Figure 7D).-The tension gripper block begins to return to its fixed station durmoving the latter forward.

ing the course of which the gripper becomes fully opened. Also the cutter II starts to come forward.

.--The tension gripper block gains or regains its fixed station (see Figure 7E), the gripper now being fully open and starting to be withdrawn from the first band by further backward movement of the control box which has been continuing since it first came into operation to hold the gripper slightly open, whereby the full opening is effected under the combined influence of the control box and of the return movement of the gripper block. Alternatively the control box may dwell during the said return movement of the block so that the latter is entirely responsible for opening the gripper fully.

161.-The tension gripper block commences its outward movement away from the connecting device in order to pick up the second band.

169.-The control box has completed its backward movement and the tension gripper thus becomes fully withdrawn during the outward movement of the tension gripper block just referred to. (See Figure 7F.)

183.-The control box starts to move forward, the first half of its movement being with lost motion with respect to the contact pin.

187.The welding arms are now fully forward.

190.The cam 62 acting on the cradles 58a, 58b whereon the welding arms rest, starts building up pressure thereon to provide the necessary upward thrust on the tips 52a, 52b for welding.

194.-The rear wall 50 of the control box 44 comes into contact with the pin 43 and starts (See Figure 7G.)

210.--The tension gripper block completes its outward stroke.

v 211.The control box completes its forward swing and the tension gripper jaw 40 snaps closed onto thesecond band at a point about the length of the outward travel of the said gripper away from that where the said band will be cut. Figure 7H show-s the resulting swing of the contact pin, from position 43h to 43h.

. 212.--The cutter I! then severs the band.

260.Full pressure having by now become applied to the welding tips, the weld thereupon taking place, being completed in varying times up to 278 when the pressure is released from the electrodes.

301.The cutter I! has become fully returned to its inoperative position.

302.The far side gripper l5 and near side auxiliary gripper I6 both open to release the connected band, so that the article can be removed or else moved forward for application of another band.

311.--The tension gripper block 29 starts to move up with the new first band, to feed the projecting end thereof towards the connecting device ready for the next cycle. At this point, it is desirable to call attention to the function of the stroking device II associated with the take-off rollers ID of the binding ring 2 whereby this feeding forward of the free end of strip is made possible. Unless special precautions are taken, when the second band is severed, it will spring curled down as a result of the previous coiling of the strip round the ring and the tensioning rollers. Accordingly, device I I is adjustably mounted, as shown in Fig. 1, in a slot on the ring adjacent the take-off rollers to stroke the strip as it leaves the ring in order to counteract this tendency to curl. In this way the projecting end of strip, when cut, is left extended horizontally so that it can be fed straight into the connecting device.

312.-The welding arms commence their backward withdrawal.

324.-The auxiliary near side gripper l5 has become fully open and in course of its downward swing, has first depressed the projecting end of strip until able to pass it, whereupon the strip springs up again to the horizontal. As this action takes place during the early stages of the aforesaid movement up of the tensioning gripper block 29, only the extremity of the strip has thus to be deflected and this can be done without difficulty.

335.The far side gripper I5 is now fully opened. Also the auxiliary near side gripper it starts to close, but only so far as not to prevent feeding of the projecting end of strip. In addition, the spring follow-up cam 68b of this last mentioned gripper simultaneously commences to build up pressure ready for final closing of the gripper early in the next cycle of operation.

359.The tension gripper block 29 completes its movement up with the projecting end of strip.

360.The welding arms are completely withdrawn back from the plane of binding. Clutch 26 becomes disengaged by the trip mechanism associated with feeler 25 when the cycle is finished.

It will be evident that the sequence of operations just described can be varied in many respects, but after considerable experiment, it has been worked out as involving little or no lost opportunity of carrying out operations simultaneously where practicable so as to reduce the whole time occupied to a minimum.

Iciaim:

1. A machine for binding an article comprising, means rotatable about the article for training a strip in a binding plane around the article to be bound, means for severing the strip after it has been trained around the article, means for connecting the ends of the severed strip, means permanently positioned at the near side of the connecting means for holding the strip as it is being trained around the article, means for moving said holding means toward said connecting means for tensioning the strip around the article, means positioned at the far side of said holding and tensioning means and adapted to grip the strip before the connecting means is operated, and means adapted to operate said severing means after said auxiliary means is operated and before the connecting means is operated.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1, which also includes means adapted to cause said holding and tensioning means to release the strip, move away from said connecting means and re-grip the strip while said auxiliary means is in operation and before said severing means is operated.

3. A machine for binding an article with strip, comprising unidirectionally rotatable training means operable to draw a strip in a binding plane around an article to be bound, means ior connecting parts of the strip after training around the article, means permanently disposed adjacent and on the near side of the connecting means for holding a free end of the strip while the strip is being trained around the article, means for gripping the trained strip after training thereof, and means thereupon operable to move the free end holding means toward the strip gripping means to tension the strip.

4. A machine according to claim 3, comprising in addition means operable after the tensioning movement of the free end holding means to grip the free end of the strip, means adapted thereupon to release the said free end holding means from the strip, the free end gripping means being disposed on the near side of the connecting means, and the trained strip gripping means being disposed on the far side of the connecting means.

5. A machine according to claim 4, comprising in addition means operable after strip tensioning movement of the free end holding means to dis-engage the free end holding means from the free end of the strip and to cause it to grip the trained strip.

6. A machine according to claim 5. comprising in addition means operable after the free end holding means dis-engages the free end of the strip and grips the trained strip to sever the strip on the far side of the free end holding means to thereby leave the free end holding means gripping the free end of a new strip.

7. A machine for binding an article with strip, comprising unidirectionally rotatable training means operable to draw a strip in a binding plane around an article to be bound, means for connecting parts of the strip after training around the article, means permanently disposed adjacent and on the near side of the connecting means for holding a free end of the strip while the strip is being trained around the article, means for gripping the trained strip after training thereof, means thereupon operable to move the free end holding means toward the strip gripping means to tension the strip, means operable after strip tensioning movement of the free end holding means to disengage the free end holding means from the free end of the strip and to cause it to grip the trained strip, and means adapted to move the free end holding means in a direction away from the connecting device after it dis-engages the free end of the strip and before it grips the trained strip.

8. A machine for binding an article with strip, comprising unidirectionally rotatable training means operable to draw a strip in a binding plane around an article to be bound, means for connecting parts of the strip after training around the article, means permanently disposed on the near side of and movable towards the connecting means to tension the strip around the article, and means adapted to maintain the tension thus applied to the strip to permit release of the tensioning means therefrom.

9. A machine according to claim 8, in which the tension maintaining means is disposed on the same side of the connecting means as is the tensioning means.

10. A machine according to claim 8, in which the tension maintaining means is disposed be- 13 means permanently positioned at the near side of the connecting means for holding the strip as it is being trained around the article, means for moving said holding means toward the said connecting means for tensioning the strip around th article, means positioned at the far side of said connecting means and adapted to grip the strip after it has been trained around the article and before said holding and tensioning means is moved to tension the strip, and auxiliary means positioned intermediate said connecting means and said holding and tensioning means and adapted to grip the strip before the connecting means is operated.

12.'A machine as defined in claim 11, which also includes means adapted to release said holding and tensioning means from the strip after said auxiliary means grips the strip, to move said holding and tensioning means away from said connecting means, and to cause said holding and tensioning means to re-grip th strip preparatory to a succeeding binding operation.

13. A machine as defined in claim 12, which also includes means adapted to move said holding and tensioning means laterally away from and back toward the binding plane intermediate its release and re-gripping of the strip.

14. A machine as defined in claim 13, in which the means for releasing said holding and tensioning means from the strip, moving it away from said connecting means, and moving it laterally away from and back toward the binding plane for re-gripping the strip includes, a gripper block movable in line with the binding plane, a plunger slidably and rotatably mounted in said block, a

gripping jaw at the end of the plunger adjacent the binding plane, and cam control mechanism operatively connected with the other end of the p1unger.

15. A machine as defined in claim 11, which also includes means adapted to release said holding and tensioning means from the strip after said auxiliary means grips the strip, to move said holding and tensioning means away from said connecting means, and to cause said holding and tensioning means to re-grip the strip preparatory to a succeeding binding operation, and a strip positioning device adapted to maintain the strip in position to be re-gripped by said holding and tensioning means.

16. A machine as defined in claim 11, in which the means for training a strip around the article includes a device adapted to stroke the strip to prevent curling of the same adjacent the point at which it is severed.

17. A machine as defined in claim 11, which also includes means for moving said holding and tensioning means to feed the strip longitudinally into said connecting means.

JOHN JAMES CHEESMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,650,843 McChesney Nov. 29, 1927 2,339,395 Harvey Jan. 18, 1944 

